“It’s certainly a factor,” said Borthwick, when asked if there was an element of longer-term strategy behind loading his bench in a similar fashion to South Africa’s ‘bomb squad’.
“We had a period where we lost a series of games late. You’ve then seen the impact that Jamie George and Elliot Daly had off the bench against France in the Six Nations; you’ve seen that in other games, too. You saw the impact that Danny Care would have off the bench. There is no doubt that having experience, people who have played together… I see that as a huge asset. Bench impact is something we’re putting a huge focus on; it’s something that Kevin Sinfield, in particular, has spent a lot of time working on. The physical, skill and mental prep so that the bench come on and have a big impact for us.”
If England are still in touch when the bench is unloaded, the Twickenham faithful can be certain of a forceful finale.
The challenge for Borthwick is also one of morale, keeping his senior players happy to play a different role, even if it is in the short term. He points to Ford as the squad’s standard-bearer in that regard.
“If I reflect on my time as a player, it was not the case that the team always came first when players were not selected,” Borthwick added. “It was not always the case that everything was about the team. I see this squad differently. It’s very competitive, but a collaborative competition. The players who have not been selected are disappointed, and I’d expect that, but their preparation has been excellent.
“When I announced the team, I spoke about George Ford. There was a series of games where George Ford was not in the 23, he sat just outside it, and every day he was the best trainer in the squad. Every day, he was helping the team prepare. That’s the role model, that’s the standard. Players who are disappointed to be picked? That [George] is the role model; that is the standard we have now.”
